PROPOSITION #I: Purchase of School Buses

Proposition #1 on the May 15 ballot asked voters to approve the purchase of two 66-passengerschool buses and one 7 passenger school bus at a cost not to exceed $249,660. This proposition was part of an ongoing bus replacement plan designed to keep the District’s fleet in a safe, working order. New bus purchases replace old buses based on vehicle mileage, age, repair history and condition. In 2012, the plan called for the retirement of two 14 year-old 65-passenger buses and one 11 year-old 7-passenger suburban bus.

Property Tax Cap Information

Public schools in NY must use a state formula to determine how much they can increase their tax levies without having to seek a higher percentage of voter approval for the budget. According to the formula, Chatham CSD could increase its 2012 tax levy by 2.2176% and still be within the cap. The year-to-year increase of the District’s tax levy (portion of the school budget funded by property tax) did not exceed 2.2176%, so a simple majority (50% + 1) of voter approval was needed to pass the 2012-2013 budget.